Method of forming ring-like frames for jewelry or the like



March 20, 1962 2. ROSENTHAL 3,025,820

METHOD OF FORMING RING-LIKE FRAMES FOR JEWELRY OR THE LIKE Filed March 2-, 1959 s INVENTOR. i ZOLTAN ROSENTHAL BY 8, 1 I I. zzz

Mam/5y Unite State ice 3,025,820 METHOD F FORMING RING-LIKE FRAMES FOR JEWELRY OR THE LIKE Zoltan Rosenthl, Jamaica, N.Y., assignor to S.R.S.

Jewelry Casting Corp, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 796,645 1 Claim. (Cl. 113116) This invention relates generally to the manufacture of jewelry and more particularly to a new and improved method of forming a hollow toroidal, annular or ringlike frame for supporting an article such as an, ornamental plate or the like.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for forming a hollow annular or ring-like frame from sheet material capable of being snapped over the outer circular peripheral rim of an article such as ornamental plate or the like for supporting said article.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method for forming a hollow annular or ring-like frame, substantially round in cross section, that is simple, effective and economical.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for forming a hollow annular or ring-like frame wherein no projecting portions are produced and wherein there is a minimum of waste of material.

Still another object is to provide an annular frame adapted to receive detachably an article of jewelry or the like, having a circular rim.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material'part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an article of jewelry with a frame made in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the disc-shaped plate shown supported by the improved frame.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the improved frame per se.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the center of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the longitudinal center of the sheet material from which the frame of FIG. 4 is made.

FIGS. 7 to 12, inclusive, are fragmentary sectional views showing successive steps in the formation of the frame shown in FIG. 4, parts being broken away, on an enlarged scale.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the material used in making the improved frame is preferably sheet metal in the form of a circular flat plate such "as the plate 10 shown in section in FIG. 6. The metal may be goldplated or silver-plated to make it more attractive. The plate has a circular opening 12 in the center thereof, thereby providing the plate with an outer peripheral edge 14 and an inner peripheral edge 16.

In the first phase of the method, the flat plate 10 is placed on a horizontal support and by suitable shaping apparatus, the outer peripheral edge 14 of the plate is held against movement and the remainder of the plate is pressed downwardly into a vertical plane in flat condition. At the same time, the material of the plate adjacent the inner periphery 16 is curved slightly upwardly and the inner periphery formed with an inwardly extending flange 18 as shown in FIG. 7. The outer held peripheral edge now constitutes an unwanted flange 20 and in the next step of the method this flange 20 is cut off to produce the shape shown in FIG. 8. The inwardly extending flange 18 on the inner periphery is also surplusage and in the next step this flange 18 is cut olf thereby producing the cross-sectional J-shape shown in FIG. 9.

Next the outer peripheral edge is pressed inwardly to form a narrow inwardly extending flange 22 producing the shape shown in FIG. 10.

With the plate shaped as in FIG. 10, the material of the plate adjacent the inner curved peripheral edge is next curved inwardly toward the outer peripheral edge, and the outer flanged peripheral edge is at the same time curved slightly inwardly toward the inner peripheral edge thereby producing a shape substantially C-shape in cross section as shown in FIG. 11. Finally, the inward curving operation performed on the outer and inner peripheral edges is continued, bringing the inner peripheral edge closely spaced from the flanged outer peripheral edge, to a substantially O-shape, with the inner peripheral edge slightly offset outwardly of the outer peripheral edge at its juncture with its flange 22, as best shown in FIG. 5. A hollow ring-shaped frame 24 substantially O-shaped in cross section, such as shown in FIG. 5, is thus produced, wherein the inner periphery of the ring-shaped frame is constituted by two closely spaced curved circular ends 26 and 28, the end 26 mounting the flange 22 being disposed inwardly of the hollow body for reinforcing the body. The other end 28 is slightly offset outwardly of the curved end 26 at its juncture with its flange 22 as best shown in FIG. 12. The face on the edge of the end 28 is disposed perpendicularly to the plane of the surface of the peripheral end 26 thereby providing an abutment or seat 30 on the inner periphery of the completed ring-shaped frame 24 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 12.

The frame 24 is capable of supporting an article of jewelry of predetermined size having a circular rim. For the purpose of illustration, in FIG. 1 the frame 24 is shown supporting an article of jewelry in the form of a circular thin disc-shaped plate 34. The plate 34 on its front face is formed with alternating ridges 36 and grooves 38 radiating from its center and terminating in a circular flange 40 having an inner corrugated surface 42. A rim 44 is formed on the front face and is raised outwardly of the plane of the flange 40 and ridges and grooves. The ridges and grooves show on the rear surface of the plate 34 but no corrugated flange or rim is provided as seen in FIG. 5.

In order to mount the ornamental plate 34 in the frame 32, the plate 34, is laid on the frame 32 with its outer rim resting on the curved flanged peripheral end 26 of the frame. The plate is then pressed inwardly or downwardly of the frame as viewed in FIG. 4 by the fingers of the operator whereby the rim 44 of the plate forces said peripheral end 26 of the frame to yield inwardly slightly whereupon the edge of the rim snaps over said peripheral end of the frame into abutment with the abutment or seat 30 on the peripheral end 28 of the frame. The peripheral edge of the rim of the plate 34 is thus yieldingly interlocked between the abutment or seat 30 and the curved peripheral end 26 of the frame as seen in FIG. 5. The resiliency of the material of the frame and the hollow construction thereof permit this operation. In order to remove the plate 34, it is only necessary to press the plate in the opposite direction, that is, outwardly or upwardly as viewed'in FIG. 5.

The frame 24 is preferably provided with an eyelet 46 on its outer periphery for receiving a string or ribbon or the like for supporting the framed device around the neck of the wearer. The eyelet may be secured by soldering, welding or the like.

It is to be understood that this method of forming a frame may be used for any other purpose, and may be made of any material.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 18:

A method of forming a hollow springy toroidal frame having a radially inturned annular flange and a radially inturned annular seat spaced from and parallel to said flange, comprising the steps of holding the outer peripheral edge of a flat annular plate having an inner edge defining a circular central hole, pressing the plate axially thereof to generally cylindrical form so that said peripheral edge defines a radial flange, holding the inner edge and curving the cylindrically formed plate toward the radial flange so that the plate has a J-form in cross section with radial flanges at inner and outer edges, cutting off said radial flanges, turning the outer edge inwardly to form said inturned annular flange, and further curving the plate to space said inturned annular flange from said inner edge so that said inner edge then defines said annular seat dispose-d radially inward of said annular flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 685,526 Perry a Oct. 29, 1901 769,912 McLean Sept. 13, 1904 802,824 Parker Oct. 24, 1905 1,035,984 Malde Aug. 20, 1912 1,415,520 Burgess May 9, 1922 2,087,032 Henrickson July 13, 1937 2,130,058 Bickel Sept. 13, 1938 2,427,756 West Sept. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 36,181 Germany July 7, 1886 396,324 France Jan. 22, 1909 102,420 Great Britain Dec. 7, 1916 333,480 Germany Feb. 26, 1921 

